Bodyjar is an Australian punk rock band based in Melbourne, that formed in … Read Full Bio ↴Bodyjar is an Australian punk rock band based in Melbourne, that formed in 1994, when they changed their name from 'Helium'. Their song "Not The Same" was also featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. Bodyjar have released 7 albums, 6 of which were recorded in studio and their latest which is a live recording entitled 'Is It Alive'. The band contained two of its original members, Cameron Baines (lead vocals/guitar) and Grant Relf (Bass) when they split. Drummer Shane Wakker has been in the band since 2005, after replacing long-time drummer Ross Heatherington and Tom Read (guitar/vocals) completes the line-up. The band now play one off shows from time to time.

Despite having their commercial peak seemingly behind them, Bodyjar remain a major attraction on the all-ages circuit in Australia, and continue to tour and play festivals. Selections from their discography have also been repackaged and released for the American and Japanese markets, where they have consolidated live followings.

Band members are also part of other side projects – Daughters of the Rich and Burn the City.

Despite an announcement on the official Bodyjar website, as of the 10th of January 2008, a new album "looks to be shaping up for late in the year". However, the band announced on September 4, 2009 they would be calling it quits after a farewell tour.

Bodyjar reunited in March 2012 to perform No Touch Red in its entirety at Melbourne's Corner Hotel, together with former tour mates One Dollar Short and Antiskeptic. Regarding the show, bassist Relf remarked, "When a good friend of Bodyjar’s says they want to start a label and release one of your old albums on vinyl, you don’t have to think too long or too hard about the response. No Touch Red kicked some arse back in the day and still holds its head up high all these years later, so I say let there be vinyl and a show to boot."

As of February 2013, Bodyjar has performed as a support act for various touring bands in Australia, such as The Descendents. Read explained in an October 2013 interview that, following the Descendants tour, the band had "a little bit of money in the bank" and decided to write and record for a new album: "we just thought let's write some songs and if they are good enough we can record them and if they're not then we can spend the money on beer I guess. But they turned out really well."[4]

Satisfied with their new songs, the band announced the release of a new record, Role Model, which is the first collection of new material in eight years. The first single, "Fairytales", premiered on 12 September 2013.

Read also explained that Tom Larkin of New Zealand band Shihad produced the album at his own studios in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, and that the band referenced the sound production of the bands Refused, Foo Fighters and Starmarket for the recording process. Joey Cape from the U.S. band Lagwagon and Ahren Stringer from the Australian band The Amity Affliction contributed vocals to the album.

Bodyjar enlisted Australian independent music label UNFD to release Role Model on 18 October 2013, and bundle packages that included a skateboard deck, a t-shirt and a stubby holder were released. Baines hired Dutch design company ATTAK to create the artwork for the album.

Life Story
Bodyjar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Am I awake? It's hard to say
I turn away from the darkest sunrise
I find my clothes and write a note
And let the rain wash the sleep from my eyes

I won't lie ot you I won't tell you something
Now I know there's nothing that I can do
And I'll be gone before tomorrow, next time

What if I said that I would do it again
Not giving up
Not giving up this time
My life story

It wasn't me it wasn't you
A torn up photo inside my pocket
A picture fades, one last mistake
And now I know it's too late to stop it

I've lost everything when self doubt sets in
It seems so easy to runaway
As I look out the window towns keep passing by

All unite and stand

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bodyjar's song "Life Story" delve into themes of internal struggle, regret, and the weighty inevitability of time passing. The opening lines, "Am I awake? It's hard to say/I turn away from the darkest sunrise" convey a sense of confusion and reluctance to face the harsh realities of life. The singer then prepares to leave, leaving a note behind as indication of their departure. The chorus's repetition of "My life story" exemplifies the central theme of the song - the inevitability of life's story and how it unfolds, whether or not we are ready to face it head-on.

The second verse of the song reveals that something has been lost, and the singer is carrying around a torn photograph as a physical reminder of their regret. As the song progresses, the singer's increasing sense of desperation is punctuated by the line "As I look out the window towns keep passing by." This line speaks to the unstoppable forward momentum of life, and how it can feel as though everything is moving too quickly to catch up.

Overall, the song is a poignant reminder to seize the day and appreciate what is truly important, as our time on this earth is limited. With insightful lyrics, Bodyjar manages to tap into the all-too-relatable experience of feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of our individual life stories.

Line by Line Meaning

Am I awake? It's hard to say
I'm not sure if I'm really awake or still dreaming

I turn away from the darkest sunrise
I try to avoid the negativity and darkness of the world

I find my clothes and write a note
I get ready to leave and leave a note behind

And let the rain wash the sleep from my eyes
I let the rain wake me up and clear my senses

I won't lie to you I won't tell you something
I won't give false hope or make empty promises

Now I know there's nothing that I can do
I've come to terms with the fact that I can't change the situation

And I'll be gone before tomorrow, next time
I'll be leaving again very soon, before tomorrow

What if I said that I would do it again
I wonder what would happen if I did the same thing again

Not giving up
I'm determined to keep going and not give up

Not giving up this time
I won't give up like I did before

My life story
This is my life and how it's been so far